This invention relates generally to solar energy collectors and more particularly but not by way of limitation to a method and apparatus for heating a fluid using solar energy.
Heretofore there have been a great number of different types and designs of solar energy collectors for heating air and liquid. The solar energy collectors are used for both heating and cooling industrial and residential building structures. Prior art liquid heaters generally are constructed where a liquid such as water is circulated down the front side of an absorber plate. The absorber plate absorbs the solar heat and conducts the heat to the water as it flows across the surface. This type of system is not as efficient as the subject invention since the film of water acts to reflect some of the sun's rays prior to being absorbed by the plate. Also, this type of collector will have a transparent cover such as glass positioned in front of the absorber plate. Because of the heat generated on the absorber plate, the water will evaporate and condense on the inside surface of the cover thereby creating a fogging effect thereon and reducing the efficiency of the collector.
Also there are collectors which circulate the liquid in heat absorbent conductor tubes or channels which flows across the front surface of the solar panel. The use of tubes or channels do not allow the liquid to be exposed in a thin film to the maximum surface area of the panel. Therefore, again this system is not as efficient as the subject invention which takes advantage of most of the solar heat received on the surface of an absorber plate.